Ski boat warning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A flag system for ski boats automatically operated by a release of tow line tension to raise a flag for warning other boats of &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;skier down.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; A spring loaded flag standard is retracted by tension on a tow line for water skiers and upon tension release automatically raises the warning flag. A normally closed switch in the system operates a warning light visible to a boat operator upon skier release of the tow line.

, 1 (WWW 1 i M f 119*2530 XR 3a6029188 5R JUVILUU [72] Inventor DanielM. Penlflor 1,171,638 2/1916 Hayward 116/50 5129 Valpey Park Ave.,Fremont, Calif. 2,538,885 1/1951 Schumann, Jr. 116/28 UX 94538 2,654,33810/1953 Deal 1l6/132X [21] Appl. No. 867,830 3,021,513 2/1962 Lanket340/286 UX [22] Filed Oct. 20,1969 3,091,757 5/1963 Brockm. 340/213 [45]Patented Aug. 31,1971 3,109,075 10/1963 Ratcliff 114/235 UX PrimaryExaminer-Louis J. Capozi [54] SKI BOAT WARNING APPARATUS Attorney-Greggand Hendncson 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 116/132, 114/235, 116/173, 248/42 [51] Int. Cl G08c 5/00[50] Field of Search 1 16/114, ABSTRACT; A fl g slgm*iqflrwkimpoamautomqicauy 132, 173, 174, 175, 28; 1 14/235 WS; 280/480; operated lgmgglgggg gi tgw jine tension l 9/310; 272/1 B, 32; 200/161, 52; 340/213,286; warning gmg hgg q f i xig Egg g4 A spn 248/38 43 standard isretracted by tension on a ton/ line? and ufiti'rft" V V [56] ReferencesClted mufiwdhfiany UNITED STATES PATENTS light visible to a boatoperator upon skie release of the tow 1,013,582 1/1912 Bedini 1l6/132Xline.

PATENTEU M1831 I97! 3.602.188

SHEET 1 [IF 2 E Mum PAN/IL M. Pawnee F G-l irroewlra PATENTED was! l97|sum 2 (IF 2 Wyn roe DAN/i4 Maw/#2 we SKI BOAT WARNING APPARATUSBACKGROUND OF INVENTION.

The sport of water skiing has become extremely popular and is carriedout by the motor boat towing of a person upon water skis. Generally atow line affixed to the stern of the motor boat is grasped at an outerend thereof by a person upon water skis so as to be towed across thesurface of a lake or the like. While this sport. has gained wide spreadacceptance it is widely recognized in the field that various substantialdangers are involved therein Aside from the natural physical danger offalling or the like, the skier experiences the further danger ofpossible injury by other boats cruising in the same area as the skier'sactivities. While there is relatively small likelihood of collisionbetween another boat and a skier being towed upon the surface of thewater there is a substantial danger of a downed skier being run over byanother motor boat. This danger has ledto the passage of laws requiringthe presence of an observer in the stern of a ski boat towing a waterskier. It has become common practice for the observer to signal therelease of atow line by a skier by theobserver raising his arm. I

During the sport of water skiing it is inevitable that a majority ofskiers will eventually fall from the skis or be forced, to release thetow line so as to thussinkintothe water. Whilethis is notnormallyhazardous in itself. either because the skier is a good swimmer or wearsa life jacket, it, then places the skier in the dangerous position ofbeing relatively invisible. to the operatorsof other boats in the area.A downedskier at. or

beneath thesurface of the water is very difficult to observe by of timeand attempts have been made to providewater skiers with automaticwarning devices. Thus for example thereare a number of issued US patentsshowingdevices attachable to the head of a water skier for the purposeof raising a flag or the like upon dousing of the skier. Certainlimitations attached to,

this general approach to the problem such as for example thelimitationuponthe height of any warning device that may be raised abovea downedskier and also the visibility of any warning device of this typewhen a skier may be disposed in,

other than a vertical position in the water.

The present invention operatestoprovide a solution to the abovenotedproblem by. automatically raising a warning flag upon the ski boat fromwhich askier has released atow line. It

has become common practice for those operating boats to ob-- serve otherboats in the area particularly for warning signals and the presentinvention takes advantages of this observance to raiseawarningsignalupon the ski boat itself rather than attempting to raise a warningsignalon thedowned skier.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION 1 The present-invention provides-aspringdoadediflag standard carrying a flag at a topfthereofwhich isnormally retracted into a container having an open top. The flagstandardis connected by suitable ,means to alineengaging a tow. line for awaterskier. A certain amount of drag on the ,tow line is provided by a skierbeing drawn across ,the surface of water i by a motor boat or the likecarrying; the present invention.

This drag or tension-by the skier being towed operates against thespring tension applied to the flag standard to maintain the flaginretracted position wherein it is invisible to those in the vicinity. Atany time the skier being towed by a boat releases the towline thetension applied by the skier is thus released so that the spring-loadedstandard rises to unfurl and reveal the warning flag on the boat. Thisthen provides a positive waming to other boats in the area that a waterskier is down in the water in the vicinity behind the boat carrying thewarning flag.

The present invention further provides an automatically operated warninglight visible to the operator of a ski boat. A simple electrical circuitprovides a normally closed switch engageable by means responsive to towline tension for opening so that upon release of a tow line by a skierthe switch closes to operate the warning light. Consequently a boatoperator is immediately warned by a light visible to him that a skierhas released the tow line of his boat so that the operator may thanreturn to the vicinity of such release to pick up the skier. Theapparatus of the present invention provides an automatic warning systemboth to operators of other boats in the area of water skiing and to theoperator of a boat towing a water skier so as to minimize the dangers ofwater skiing particularly as related to release by the skier of a skiboat tow line.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES A preferred embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a-ski boat towing a skier;

FIG. 2.is an enlarged partial elevational view of a boat stem withportions broken away illustrating the present invention mounted upon aski boat;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view taken in the plane 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational. view of the warning system ofthis. invention showing the warning flag raised;

FIG. 5 is a central sectional view taken through the operative portionof the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the flagraised and including only the upright elementsof-the device or apparatuswith a tension line extending therefrom;

- FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view illustrating the connectionDESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is first made to FIG. 1 ofthe drawings as a general indication of the applicability of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 1 the sport of water skiing'is accomplishedby the towing of a water skier ll:by means of a tow-rope 12 withamotorized ski boat 13. The skier ll .wears specially'constructed waterskis 14 so that he is rapidly drawn along the surface of the water bythe tow line behind .the boat and a boat operator 16 pilots the boat toproceed at a desired speed and in desired directions. Conventionally itis requiredfor a ski boat to carry a passenger or observer in additionto the operator 16.with such observer facing rearwardly in the boat toat all times view the water skier. The sport of water skiing entails thenatural hazards of falling, slipping, or the like so that the skier mustthen release the tow line. Under these circumstances the skier sinksinto the water and while this presents no particular hazard in itselfinasmuch as the skier would normally wear a life jacket it does raisethe danger of this skier being run over by other power boats in thearea.The observer in the boat tells the boat operator that the skier isdown and may raise his arm at such time as a skier releases the towline. Thisarm signal serves as a warning to other boats in the area thata skier has released the tow line and is in the water either floating orsubmerged so that such boats shall avoid the'area until the skier ispicked up by his ski boat.

The present invention operates to carry out the sport of water skiinginthe same manner as described above but with the addition of an automaticwarning signal providing a readily visible warning to all boats in thearea that a skier has released the two line from the ski boat. Referringnow to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 there will be seen to be generally illustratedthe stern of a ski boat 13 with a tow line 12 extending astem thereof.In accordance with the present invention the tow line 12 is connected toa transverse line 21 anchored as to a ring bolt 22 at one side of thestern of the boat 13 and the other side connected to a tension line 23.The tow line as illustrated to be looped about the transverse line 21 soas to be capable of sliding laterally thereof. The tension line will beseen to extend through the transom 24 of the boat 13.

Before proceeding into details of description of the preferredembodiment of the present invention illustrated herein, it is furthernoted that the tension line additionally extends within the boatupwardly through a rigidly mounted vertical, cylindrical support 26 intoengagement with the bottom of a flag standard 27 hearing a warning flag28. At the upper end of the generally vertically extending cylindricalhousing 26 there is provided an enlarged open ended cylinder 29 servingas a flag housing. The flag standard 27 is spring loaded to urge thestandard upwardly from the cylindrical housing 26 and thus to raise theflag 28 from the open end of the flag housing 29.

As a skier is drawn through the water by the ski boat, tension isapplied to the tow line 12 which then draws the tension line 23rearwardly of a boat by means of the transverse line 21 and consequentlycounteracts the spring loading of the flag standard and holds the flag28 within the flag housing 29. At any time the skier releases the towline for whatever reason, the tension on such line is substantiallyremoved and the spring loaded flag standard is thus immediately raisedby spring pressure to consequently raise the flag 28 from the flaghousing and produce a visual warning of such skier release of the towline.

Considering now the illustrating embodiment of the present invention insomewhat greater detail and referring to FIGS. -8 of the drawings, itwill be seen that the upright cylindrical housing 26 is formed as anopen ended cylinder extending through the deck 31 of a ski boat with afitting 32 about the housing thereat. This fitting may be bolted to thedeck 31 as indicated at 33 and preferably provides for a rearwardinclination of the housing in extension above the deck. Within thehousing 26 there is provided a standard guide 34 slidably disposedwithin the housing and having an internal shoulder about the upperportion thereof against which a compression spring 37 bears. Thisstandard guide 34 is adapted to move longitudinally of the housing inresponse to spring pressure and is constrained from moving out of theend of the housing by a centrally aperture end plug 38 secured to thetop of the housing. The flag standard 27 is extended through the centralopening in the plug 38 and threaded into the ,upper end of the guide 34so as to be movable with the guide. The above noted flag housing 29 issecured to the top of the end plug 38 in axial extension from thehousing 26, as by threaded engagement with the end plug, as illustratedin FIG. 5. This flag housing 29 is made of sufficient diameter toaccommodate the flag 28 when the flag standard 27 is drawn downwardly todispose the flag within the housing. A fitting 39 about the housing 26may be threaded into the fitting 32 to secure the housing in desiredposition in extension above the boat deck 31. When the invention is notin use the fitting 39 may be loosened so that the housing 26 may be sliddownward beneath the deck. The bottom of the cylindrical housing 26 isclosed beneath the deck by a thick washer or the like 41 which may forexample be retained in position by means of a thick-walled cylinder 42secured about the lower end of the housing by a bolt 43 threadedtherethrough and having an internal shoulder extending about andpartially across the lower end of housing 26. The compression spring 37will be seen to be retained within the housing between the lower washer41 and standard guide 34. A grease may applied to the spring 37 toreduce noise and friction as it moves along the inner surface of thehousing 26.

An upper tension line 46 extends axially downward through thecylindrical housing 26 from the bottom of the standard guide 34. Theguide 34 may be formed with an opening through the bottom thereof into achamber so that the tension line 46 may be extended through the openingand knotted in the chamber to consequently be retained in engagementwith the standard guide. The upper tension line 46 extends through thecentral opening in the bottom cylindrical housing washer 41 and thenceabout a pulley wheel 47 for extension toward the stern of the boat. Inpractice this pulley wheel 47 may be mounted upon a depending portion ofthe small cylinder 42 locked to the lower portion of the cylindricalhousing 26 beneath the boat deck, as shown. The tension line 46 isadapted to extend through the transom of the boat at the stern thereofand provision is made to limit tension line movement during water skioperations and for adjusting the length of line. As shown in FIG. 5, theline 46 is attached beneath and behind the pulley wheel 47 to aturnbuckle 48 having a hook 49 threaded in the opposite end thereof.This then provides for adjusting the length of line between the guide 34in the housing and the hook end beneath the housing.

At the stern of the boat provision is made for passage of the linethrough the transom, as illustrated in FIG. 6. An opening 51 is formedthrough the transom 24, preferably at one side of the transom as shownin FIG. 3. A pair of metal collars 52 and 53 are fitted in the opening51 on opposite sides of the transom and maintained in place as by bolts54. The outer tension line 23 extends through these collars and isattached to a flanged ring 56 behind the transom. This ring 56 may beformed with a central opening through the flange thereon and the lineextended through the opening and knotted as illustrated. The flange onthe ring 56 is adapted to be pulled against the outer transom collar 53in facing relation thereto under the condition wherein the line 23 isdrawn forwardly into the boat. This line 23 extends forwardly of thetransom through a metal collar 57 which may be free to slide thereon andthe line is looped at the inner end for engagement by the hook. Asillustrated in FIG. 6, this loop 58 in the line may be completed bylooping the line and then passing it through the braids thereof andthence back through the braids. This operation may be accomplished bythe attachment of a pointed member to the line end in conventionalmanner, however it is to be appreciated that other types of loop endsmay be formed as for example by braiding.

The invention provides for limiting movement of the line 23 through thetransom and in the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 the line is fullyretracted into the boat with the flange of the ring 56 resting againstthe outer transom collar 53. With tension upon the line, as applied by awater skier being drawn through the water, the ring 56 is moved awayfrom the boat and the line is drawn through the transom opening 51 untilthe floating collar 57 on the line engages the inner transom collar 52with the line loop 58 immediately behind same and bearing upon thiscollar. Thus it will be seen that movement of the line 23 is limited asset by the location of the loop 58 and consequently the provision ofadjustment by the turnbuckle 48 is necessary to ensure proper operationof the spring-loaded flag standard. The loop 58 is placed on the hook 49to complete the connection of the two portions of the tension line 23and 46 operating the flag standard in response to the presence oftension on this line as exerted by a water skier.

It is to be appreciated that under certain circumstances a ski boatequipped with the present invention may be used for purposes other thantowing a water skier. This then requires provision for preventingraising of a flag warning inasmuch as no tension would be applied to thetension line and the flag standard would normally be raised. This may,for example, be accomplished by the mounting of the flag on the standardin such a way that is may be easily removed therefrom. Such a mountingis illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein the flag 28 is shown to beattached to a hollow tube 61 as, for example, by slipping an expandedflag edge into a longitudinal tube slot. The tube 61 is dimensioned toslide onto the top of the flag standard 27 to a small projection 62 onthe standard limiting downward movement of the tube thereon. The top ofthe flag standard may be threaded to receive a tapped ball or the like63 as shown in FIG. 7 so that the flag in its tube is held in positionat the top of the standard but is readily removed therefrom merely byunthreading the ball 63 and slipping the tube from the standard. It willof course be appreciated that provision may also be made for holding thespring 37 in compression as, for example, by inserting a pin or the likein the housing 26 to retain the guide 34 in a depressed or loweredposition.

A further portion of the present invention is illustrated in F168. 6 and9. As noted above the operator of a ski boat necessarily faces forwardlyof the boat during travel of same and consequently is not in a positionto observe the presence or absence of the skier being towed. A simpleelectrical circuit such as illustrated in FIG. 9 is provided forlighting a warning lamp 71 on the dashboard or the like 72 of the skiboat. A switch 73 is shown in FIG. 6 to be mounted on the inside orforward surface of the transom 24'with a switch armextending intoposition to be engaged by the floating collar 57 on the tension line 23.This switch 73 is preferably a normally closed switch and is shown inFIG. 9 to be connected between electrical groundand one side of the lamp71, with the other side of the lamp being connected through a battery orother power supply 74 back to electrical ground. With the switch 73being a normally closed switch it will be seen that tension applied tothe ring 56 of the present invention by a water skier being drawnthrough the water will draw the tension line 23 through the transomcollar 52 and thus move the switch arm to open the switch. Consequentlyunder this condition the warning light 71 is not energized or lit.Immediately upon release of a tow line by a skier the spring 37 of thepresent invention draws the tension line 23 inwardly of the boat so thatthe collar 57 thereon is free to move away from the transom and the armof I the switch 73 thus moves to normally closed position therebyplacing the warning lights 71 in circuit with the battery to light thelamp. It is to be appreciated that the warning lamp 71 may be mounted atany desired location on the ski boat but preferably in a position to bereadily viewed at least by the boat operator and may be located to bevisible from other boats. It is of course also possible to incorporatean interrupter in the circuit so that the warning light will flash.

Considering now the operation of the present invention, it is firstnoted that the invention may be mounted upon substantially any type ofboat and furthermore that the mounting may be accomplished atsubstantially any desired position. As shown in the drawings hereof theupright portion of the invention is mounted near the stern of the boaton the port side thereof. An opening is formed in the deck 31 and theunit of FIG. 5 assembled thereat with the fixture 32 mounting thisassemblage to the deck. Directly astern from the housing 26 there isformed the transom opening 51 and the transom collars are then attachedwith the line 23 being extended therethrough in connection with theflange ring 56 astern of the boat. An appropriate length of line isextended from the standard guide 34 downwardly through the housing andabout the pulley 47 at the bottom thereof to extend via the tumbuckle 48and hook 49 into engagement with the loop 58 with the lower line 23fully drawn into the boat. With no slack in the lines 23 and 46 and theflanged ring 56 abutting the outer transom collar 53 the line length isapproximately correct. Minor adjustments may be made in line length bythe tumbuckle 48. The ring 22 is then mounted on the opposite side ofthe stern of the boat and the transverse line 21 is connected betweenthe rings 22 and 56 with sufiicient slack that it will extend somewhatrearwardly of the boat in use as illustrated in FIG. 3. The switch 73 isthen mounted adjacent the transom opening 51 in position for the switcharm to be engaged by the movable collar 57. With the electrical circuitof the switch and lamp completed and the flag mounted atop the flagstandard 27 the invention is then in condition for use.

As a skier holding the tow line 12 is drawn through the water by the skiboat to rise onto the surface thereof and water ski, there will beapplied 'a tension to the tow line because of the drag of the skier inthe water and this is applied through the line 21 to the flanged ring 56so as to pull the lower tension line 23 through the transom opening 51.This will be seen to draw the upper tension line 46 axially downward inthe housing 26 so as to force the standard guide 34 downwardly in thehousing to compress the spring 37. In practice the compression strengthof the spring 37 is predetermined as, for example, on the order of about12 pounds for desired compression thereof and the downward movement ofthe guide 34 in the housing draws the attached flag standard downward inthe flag housing 29 to pull the flag into this housing. The pull on thetow line by the water skier draws the lower tension line 23 out of theboat until the collar 57 thereabout engages theinner transom collar 52.Further tension on the line does not further operate the invention, forline movement is limited as noted above. In this condition, with theboat moving through the water and drawing a water skier behind it, thewarning flag 28 is maintained within the flag housing 29 so as to beobscured from view. At any time the water skier releases the tow linethe tension on the lower line 23 and attached upper line 46 of thepresent invention is released or at least substantially reduced so thatthe compression spring 37 rapidly moves the guide 34 upwardly in thehousing 26 to raise the flag standard and release the flag 28 from thetop of the flag housing. It is to be appreciated that the tow line andgripping means for the water skier continues to be drawn through thewater by the boat even after the water skier has released hold thereofand this of course applied some drag to the system. Thus the strength ofthe spring 37 must be sufficient to overcome this drag in order to raisethe flag.

Not only is the flag 28 raised upon release of substantial drag on thetow line but also the force on the arm of the switch 73 is released sothat the switch returns to normal closed position to complete anelectrical circuit through the warning lamp 71 whereby the boat operatoris immediately apprised of tow line release by the skier. In thiscondition the warning flag 28 is flying from the boat to warn otherboats in the area that a water skier is down in the water. The height ofthe housing 26 may be made sufficient to locate the warning flag atopsame in a position for ready viewing by other boat operators and alsothe flag itself may be made of a distinctive and highly visible color toenhance the warning.

As the ski boat circles about and returns to the vicinity of the downedwater skier the warning flag continues to fly, warning other boats toremain away from the area. As the water skier in the water grasps thetow line and the boat is accelerated to again draw the water skier up onto the surface on the skis there will again be applied a pull or drag tothe tow line sufficient to pull the lower tension line 23 rearwardlythrough the boat transom and thus to draw the attached tension line 46downwardly in the housing 26 so that the guide 34 moves downwardly tocompress the spring 37 and depress the flag standard 27 to withdraw thewarning flag 28 into the flag housing 29. At the same time the collar 57on the lower tension line 23 is moved sternward against the transomcollar 52 to thus move the arm switch 73 and open the switch so that thewarning lamp 7! is disconnected.

It will be appreciated that the present invention provides a highlyadvantageous warning system for ski boats which operates automaticallyto provide a visual indication to other boats in the area of the loss ofa skier from a ski boat and also to warn or apprise the boat operator ofsuch loss. The warning flag of the present invention automatically israised to provide a danger or warning signal at any time a water skierreleases the tow line from a ski boat equipped with the presentinvention. This then removes the possibility of human error in warningaway other boats from the vicinity of a downed water skier. It is to beappreciated that the present invention operates substantiallyinstantaneously upon release of drag on the tow line extending from aboat equipped therewith and inasmuch as the operator is alsoinstantaneously apprised of the loss of a skier being towed, the amountof boat travel before returning to the vicinity is minimized. Thus thetime that the skier is in the water is minimized and the danger to theskier is minimized. It is to be further appreciated that the apparatusof the present invention is normally in a warning position both as tothe warning flag and warning light. Thus initial connection of a tensionline at the time water skiing is to commence ensures operability of theinvention. The boat normally starts a water skiing operation with thewarning flag raised and this is also advantageous in warning away otherboats when a skier is to be initially pulled upward out of the waterinto skiing position.

It will be appreciated that the components of the present invention areto be formed of substantial materials such as metal except for thetension lines and flag and that the materials should be corrosionresistant. The majority of operating parts of the invention aredisplaced from the water itself so as to minimize destructive effects ofsame. Failure of tension lines, for example, result in raising of thewarning flag so that the apparatus may be considered substantially failsafe.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to asingle preferred embodiment thereof it is not intended to limit theinvention to the precise details of illustration or terms ofdescription. Reference is made to the appended claims for a definitionof the invention.

I claim:

l h ski boat warning device comprising an open ended flag housingadapted to be mounted in extension above the deck of a ski boat, aspring-loaded flagstaff carrying a flag and disposed in said housing tonormally extend said flag from the open end thereof, and

glension line connected to said flagstaff adjacent to the lower endthereof for extension sternward of the boat to connect to a skier towline, whereby skier tension upon saig l tension line through the towline holds said flagstaff within said flag housing and tension releasecauses said spring loading means to raise aid flagstaff and display saidflag above said flag housing?" 2. The device of claim 1 further definedby means removably attaching said flag to said flagstaff.

3. The device of claim 1 further defined by means defining an openingthrough a stern of a boat carrying said flagstaff and having a flangeabout the opening inboard and outboard of the boat stern, and meanslimiting the length of movement of said tension line through saidopening.

4. The device of claim 3 further defined by said means limiting thelength of movement of said tension line comprising,

a connector joined to the end of the tension line exterior of the boatstern and having a lateral extent greater than the stern opening, and

a collar larger than the stern opening disposed about the tension linewithin the boat and movable between the boat stern and a lineprotuberance.

5. The device of claim 3 further defined by means connected in saidtension line for controllably varying the line length.

6. The device of claim 1 further defined by a cylindrical housingmounting said flag housing, a guide slidably disposed in saidcylindrical housing with a shoulder thereabout engaging the top of saidspring loading means, said guide carrying said flagstaff, and acentrally apertured plug secured in said cylindrical housing above saidguide for limiting upward travel of the guide, and said flagstaffextending through the plug aperture.

1. A ski boat warning device comprising an open ended flag housingadapted to be mounted in extension above the deck of a ski boat, aspring-loaded flagstaff carrying a flag and disposed in said housing tonormally extend said flag from the open end thereof, and a tension lineconnected to said flagstaff adjacent to the lower end thereof forextension sternward of the boat to connect to a skier tow line, wherebyskier tension upon said tension line through the tow line holds saidflagstaff within said flag housing and tension release causes saidspring loading means to raise said flagstaff and display said flag abovesaid flag housing.
 2. The device of claim 1 further defined by meansremovably attaching said flag to said flagstaff.
 3. The device of claim1 further defined by means defining an opening through a stern of a boatcarrying said flagstaff and having a flange about the opening inboardand outboard of the boat stern, and means limiting the length ofmovement of said tension line through said opening.
 4. The device ofclaim 3 further defined by said means limiting the length of movement ofsaid tension line comprising, a connector joined to the end of thetension line exterior of the boat stern and having a lateral extentgreater than the stern opening, and a collar larger than the sternopening disposed about the tension line within the boat and movablebetween the boat stern and a line protuberance.
 5. The device of claim 3further defined by means connected in said tension line for controllablyvarying the line length.
 6. The device of claim 1 further defined by acylindrical housing mounting said flag housing, a guide slidablydisposed in said cylindrical housing with a shoulder thereabout engagingthe top of said spring loading means, said guide carrying saidflagstaff, and a centrally apertured plug secured in said cylindricalhousing above said guide for limiting upward travel of the guide, andsaid flagstaff extending through the plug aperture.